The Red Pencil

Part 1, Chapters 1-32

Reading Check

1. 12 (Chapter 1)

2. Gad Primary School at Nyala (Chapters 5-6)

3. Leila and Nali the sheep (Chapters 21 and 23)

Short Answer

1. Amira likens Dando and Old Anwar’s fight about tomatoes to war, because she believes the argument to be just as foolish and unnecessary as war. (Chapters 9 and 12)

2. Amira listens carefully to Muma out of respect for her, and because she sees how the mention of the Janjaweed seems to frighten her otherwise strong mother. (Chapter 32)

Part 1, Chapters 33-79

Reading Check

1. Old Anwar (Chapter 35)

2. Flitter (Chapter 55)

3. Kalma (Chapter 79)

Short Answer

1. Amira realizes that she behaved selfishly when she refused to come in during the haboob and rushes to apologize to Dando. (Chapters 52-53)

2. Amira and the villagers stop calling for Sayidda Moon, as it is safer for them to travel in darkness so as to avoid being detected by the militia who monitor the desert. (Chapter 73)

Part 2, Chapters 80–112

Reading Check

1. Her voice (Chapter 82)

2. Miss Sabine, a volunteer with Sudan Relief (Chapters 99 and 102)

3. Mosquitoes (Chapter 110)

Short Answer

1. Amira refers to the trash bag scraps that litter the camp as “Sudanese flowers,” because they are the only thing that grows in Kalma, irrespective of the weather. (Chapter 92)

2. Old Anwar’s food is made especially tasty by his accompanying proclamation that “we” (him, Amira, Muma, Leila, and Gamal) are now a family. (Chapter 109)

Part 2, Chapters 113–145

Reading Check

1. A hedgehog (Chapter 113)

2. The Gad Primary School at Nyala (Chapter 136)

3. Soccer (Chapter 141)

Short Answer

1. The disappointment of losing her red pencil causes Amira to shout for it; when she finds Leila and Gamal using her pencil and paper, she even roars at them. (Chapters 125-126)

2. The letter “O” is Amira’s favorite, because of its open, infinite, and unbroken shape. (Chapter 133)

Part 2, Chapters 146–180

Reading Check

1. Orange Fanta (Chapter 146)

2. Leila (Chapter 170)

3. Old Anwar (Chapter 179)

Short Answer

1. Muma and Old Anwar fight about Amira’s reading and writing lessons, as Muma believes Old Anwar is wasting her time, while Old Anwar believes Muma is wasting the girl’s natural brilliance by denying her an education. (Chapter 154)

2. Amira promises Leila that she will return with books and pencils to teach her, Gamal, and the other children at Kalma what she will learn at Nyala. (Chapter 171)